Hitomebore
by Fruitful Action
Summary: A young Naruto wants to know what Love is. He begins to learn from a very unlikely source.
1. Love

Hitomebore

By Fruitful Action

Summary: A young Naruto wants to know what Love is. He begins to learn from a very unlikely source.

AN: This started out as a 'How Naruto got his Healing Powers from Kyuubi' story. Obviously, the two weren't very interested in that. This is really supposed to be a one shot, but... if enough people like it, I might be convinced to add more to it. No real warnings, except for general young!Naruto angst. Translations are at the bottom of the page. And if you spot any mistakes, please let me know!

Hitomebore means 'to be taken with someone at first sight'. It's similar to 'love at first sight' but not as strong. This is not a KyuuNaru fic! (more like brother!kyuubi) but I suppose you could take it that way...

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

Kyuubi-no-Kitsune was a creature of legend. A god and a demon. A mighty beast wielding tremendous power. One whose nine tails were painstakingly earned and nurtured and developed over the course of a thousand years. He was a being of fire: a flesh and blood embodiment of the most destructive element in nature. He was strength, and life, and survival! He was invincible in the most terrifying and permanent of ways.

And he was stuck.

He was stuck behind gates of gold that flashed and winked at him in a manner that reminded him of that obscenely obstinate human who had put him there. In a cage that did nothing to alleviate the feel of cool, slimey, 36 degree temperatures. A cage that felt like an insulting attempt at recreating a den—as if humans could conceive of all the warmth and earth and air and _life _that went into the making of any respectable den. This was a place of smooth, sloping walls: a nearly perfect sphere interrupted only by a flat floor that didn't allow any nooks for stretching or dips for curling in. There was not much light to speak of either, unless he provided it for himself; but that only encouraged the _twinkling _of those blasted bars.

He **hated **those bars.

The gates were structured in such a human fashion. So symmetrical and aligned and ordered and _unnatural_! They were an eyesore that he would prefer to turn his back on. Unfortunately, no amount of shoulder ramming, head butting, or chewing could dent the monstrosities. And he had discovered early on that trying to burn his way out only wasted his energy. Time had not taken pity on him; the sealing was powerful and as his living cage aged, it also strengthened.

So, resigning himself to his fate, he had settled himself into the uncomfortable niche of a child's soul, drawing his energies back jealously in preparation for a long, long, sleep.

The fates curse him should he _ever _provide help for any prideful _human_...

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

And the great beast slept, doing his best to ignore the turmoil that had already begun to warp and strangle the gentle casing of a pure soul.

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

Six year old Uzumaki Naruto knew he was different from other kids. Other kids his age had Mommies and Daddies. A pair of adults that would hug them and kiss their boo-boos better. A woman who smiles and laughs and tells them how much she loves them. A man who picks them up and gives them piggy-back rides and tells them how proud he is of them. A lot of kids his age had older Brothers and Sisters who would play with them, and share secrets with them, and show them all the best hiding places for a game of hide-and-seek. And all the other kids his age had friends. They were all friends with each other, and played those games that their Brothers and Sisters taught them and pretended to be just like their Moms or Dads.

But little six year old Naruto was different. He didn't have a Mommy. Or a Daddy. He didn't have a Brother or a Sister. Some days he thought he had friends. He'd go out to the playground and meet someone new. They would smile at him and he would ask them to play. A lot of the times it was great fun, but then someone would _notice_. Usually it was the Mommy that ran over and scooped up Naruto's new friends. It was frightening whenever a Daddy came to take them away. But sometimes, someone neither Naruto nor his new friend knew would march over and scold them for talking to him.

He didn't really think he was _allowed _to have friends.

After a while, he had stopped approaching the other kids. Instead, he would watch them. He would watch them play their games, and sometimes—like today, as he sat on his lonely swing—he would close his eyes and pretend he was playing right along with them. But he didn't do that often. Because when he opened his eyes again, his chest would feel tight, and his eyeswouldsting,and it got hardtobreathe.Breathe!

He gasped and choked a little. Tiny shoulders shook and Little Naruto squeezed his eyes shut again to ward off the hot, stinging tears just behind his lids. It didn't work very well.

He had always known that he was missing something. Watching all the other kids his age always reminded him that he was _different_.

He didn't really mind that he didn't have a Mommy, or a Daddy, or any Brothers or Sisters. He was pretty sure he could live without friends. (He had made it this far with only his mean old Nannies, right? And even they didn't always come around to see him.) But... there was something. He knew there was something else that those other kids had. Something he couldn't see. Slowly, he rocked his swing back and forth with his toes.

Something he didn't have...

"What is it...?" he wondered.

_Love, Ienakiko**(1)**... You are thinking about Love._

Naruto closed his eyes again and started to swing for real. That Voice was back. He wasn't sure when it first started talking to him, but it never sounded happy to be around. Usually it sounded like old Shunkan-babaa**(2)** (his latest nanny) whenever he accidentally woke her up. It was always funny to little Naruto—because the Voice was deep and rumbly and silly when he pictured it coming out of the old woman's thin lips—but he never dared laugh. His Voice was the closest thing to a friend he had; while it didn't speak to him a lot, and definitely didn't like him, it was a constant, and that was good enough for Naruto.

"Love?" he questioned.

Whenever his Voice woke up, Naruto ended up learning something. His Voice reminded him often that the only reason it explained things was to inform him of his stupidity. But Naruto always had to ask—his Voice didn't volunteer answers, and most of the time it wouldn't answer his questions right anyway.

_Yes._

"What's that?"

He hoped his Voice would be a little nicer today; he really wanted to know what it was the other kids had. Was there a way for him to get it too? This Love? Was it some kind of food?

His Voice scoffed._ It is not food, Ienakiko._

Naruto smiled a little. His Voice always seemed to know what he was thinking.

"If it's not food, then what is it?"

He waited for a while. His Voice was silent. Naruto wasn't worried though. Sometimes his Voice would go away after he asked a question and come back later with a weird answer. Naruto liked to pretend that his Voice had to leave to find the answer first. Someplace like the big library he passed everyday on his way to school. Maybe there were other invisible people like his, and there was a whole other world filled with Voices who helped people. Naruto liked to think that his Voice went out of its way to find the answers to his questions. That he was special enough for His Voice to get help from other Voices. That's right! His Voice would leave for a while, and go to a big invisible library. It would be _so big _that his Voice would have to get other Voices to help it find just the right answer for Naruto. Because the library for invisible people would have the answers to _everything_! So it would take a while to find the right answer for his question.

Naruto giggled a little. Swinging had dried the few tears that had escaped not so long ago, and he felt much better now. It was nearly summer, so the day was bright and warm—perfect for a kid like him who absolutely hated staying inside. There was no reason to be unhappy, he told himself. He could have fun by himself, and with his Voice, when it came back.

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

There was no sign of his Voice's return until much later, after Shunkan-babaa had scolded him for making her wait and coming home dirty. Naruto had thought about asking her what Love was, but the nasty look she sent him when he opened his mouth convinced him otherwise. She had stayed in the kitchen as he got ready for bed, and as soon as he announced that he was finished, she was gone.

So it was, that little Naruto had to fix his own dinner (milk and the last of the cold, sticky rice from a small cooker a mystery person had left him not so long ago) and go to bed. There was no one to tuck him in, or tell him a story, or simply wish him good night and sweet dreams. But Naruto didn't miss these things, because he didn't know that they existed. He just knew that something was still missing as he climbed underneath the covers, and he had a feeling that it had everything to do with the Love-thing that his Voice had mentioned.

The reminder of Love disturbed Naruto. His Voice hadn't returned at all today. It had been many hours since he had first asked his questions; much much longer than it usually took his Voice to come back. Had he made it angry? Was it awful of him to ask about Love? Naruto had been yelled at before for asking 'rude' questions. Had he done that again?

Naruto curled around his pillow and mournfully stared at the paint peeling from the wall.

"Kogoetchi..."

_Ienakiko._

But Naruto was sure he had imagined that. Once a friend left, they never came back—this he knew for certain. And his Voice; his Kogoetchi**(3)** had definitely left.

"I'm sorry..." he whimpered. He hadn't meant to anger his Kogoetchi. He knew he was stupid, and said things he shouldn't, and caused everyone a lot of problems. He knew that he didn't know when to shut up, and that he didn't know how to keep a friend, but... But... "Please don't be angry with me. I'm sorry." He certainly hadn't expected to get a response.

_What in the name of Oinari-sama are you babbling about?_

He was almost afraid to respond—terrified that if he did, Kogoetchi would leave again.

_Ienakiko... You are so stupid._

Naruto nodded into his pillow. Yes, he was very stupid. It was stupid of him to ask about love and make Kogoetchi angry, and he resolved never to ask about it again.

_Oh, for the love of—I am **not **angry with you._

Not angry?

_No._

Then why...?

There was silence for a little while. Naruto was about to apologize again, when his Voice spoke again.

_That word... you have called me that before. Why?_

He sat up a little bit, so he could breathe. He didn't dare look away from the wall, because it was dark now and if he looked out into his room he would get frightened, and big boys weren't supposed to be afraid of the dark.

"Called you what before?"

More silence. Accusing this time.

"Kogoetchi?"

Naruto thought hard about the question. He hadn't really noticed when he started calling his Voice 'Kogoetchi', but he supposed it was because he didn't know his friend's real name.

_You would not be able to pronounce it._ Kogoetchi declared firmly. Naruto believed it.

"Then you will be my Kogoetchi, ne?" Naruto was happy that his friend wasn't too upset over it.

_I cannot be your voice, Ienakiko. You have your own._

Naruto wasn't sure if his Voice was joking or not, but he decided against that, as Kogoetchi had never joked before. "I know that," he said "but you're a voice that only I can hear. So you're my Kogoetchi."

It was a child's logic, and 'Kogoetchi' couldn't argue with it. So it was silent again.

Naruto got himself comfortable, cheered that his friend wasn't angry with him. He was so happy about it, that he felt a little more courage than usual around the Voice, and decided to ask his questions again.

"Ne, Kogoetchi..." he waited to see if he would be snapped at. It had happened once before when he tried to talk to his Voice late one night.

There was an irritated grunt in return, which was as much incentive as the child was going to get.

"Can- can you tell me about Love now?"

His eyes were closed, but Naruto could swear he felt fingers comb through his hair. These phantom feelings were a fairly recent occurrence, but they had stopped startling him. The way he figured, if it was dangerous, Kogoetchi would call him stupid and tell him to stop relaxing into it.

_Ko-chan...**(4)**_

Naruto wrinkled his nose. Like any self-respecting six-year-old, he was quite sure that he wasn't a child.

_Love is... complicated._

He pouted. This was going to be one of those not-answers that only confused him more. He knew it. Naruto felt a sharp little rap over his head that he knew came from Kogoetchi, and smiled a little in apology. He giggled at the haughty sniff he received for his troubles.

_It is not food. _Kogoetchi said with amusement. _It is an emotion, like happiness and anger._

Naruto 'ohh'ed in an appropriate expression of pretend understanding.

Kogoetchi sighed. _It is what kits like you feel for their parents._

This saddened Naruto. He didn't have parents to feel... Love... for. Did that mean he was doomed to never feel it?

_No. You are so stupid, Ienakiko. There are different kinds of love. _

"Different kinds?" he whispered.

_Mm-hmm. _Naruto felt a ghostly weight settle on his blanket-covered shoulder. _There is love for family. Love for friends. Love for pets. Love for items. Love for activities. Love for... well. You do not need to worry about that kind of love yet._

Naruto thought over this very seriously. There were so many different kinds. His Kogoetchi was so smart to know all this...

"What," he ventured, "what does Love feel like?"

His Voice was silent for a while. But he knew it wasn't gone, because the weight was still there.

When Kogoetchi spoke again, it was with an odd kind of hesitance. _Ko-chan... Love Is not something that can be... described. But..._

Naruto waited patiently. His Voice had never sounded like that before. It was a very curious thing, and it made him feel a little anxious.

_I could... show you. I could show you what love feels like. If you would let me._

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

The smile that spread across Naruto's face could light up the night faster than the sunrise, and 'Kogoetchi' knew he wouldn't regret his decision.

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

Extra Notes:

(1) Ienakiko - archaic word meaning 'homeless child'. Kyuubi isn't exactly complimentary, but Naruto doesn't know what the name means anyway.

(2) Shunkan - cold weather in early spring. -babaa - old woman; hag. A fitting name for the nasty old woman.

(3) Kogoetchi - 'Kogoe' means voice. The ending 'tchi' is an alternate romanization that comes from the informal (and very cutesy) suffix -chii

(4) Ko-chan - 'ko', when used here, means 'child'- as in the young of an animal. Naruto is essentially being called 'Kit'.


	2. Lesson 1

Hitomebore

By Fruitful Action

Summary: A young Naruto wants to know what Love is. He begins to learn from a very unlikely source.

A note on Kyuubi: I've been really interested in the fox ever since I heard about Naruto. I've also read a good portion of the typical Kyuubi characterizations, from lusty vixen to sadistic killer, and I have to say that I'm not happy with any of them. I was going to use another story to pour my Shinto research into, but now I think I'm going to stick to this. I'm taking the Naruto Kyuubi, and applying the traditional Kitsune lore to him. We'll be digging into a lot of the old Japanese beliefs as the story goes on, just to spice things up for the Naruto world. What do you say?

AN: WOW! I'm amazed, and quite flattered, at the feedback I've gotten for this story! You guys have been quite wonderful to me for the first chapter! And over 1,000 hits too! Thanks for giving my first Naruto fiction a chance. Every hit, and especially every review made my heart soar.

And yes, because everyone was so enthusiastic, I bring you Kyuubi Love Lesson Number One.

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

His first memories of life were dim and blurred at the edges—

it had been so long ago...

Blindness that was soothed by the warm bodies of his siblings and the cool nose of his mother on his forehead. The soft call of his father before he came to tend to his mother's needs. A sweet-smelling, life sustaining liquid that he would forever miss: Mother's milk.

His first love was for family. For the sleek yellow vixen who birthed him; the impressive dark dog who sired him and his equally dark sister and brother. He had a vague idea of his first moments of sight. His mother's soft, white belly, followed by her insistent black nose and then... bright, loving eyes of a color he had yet to find the perfect name for, but always reminded him of the den.

Of his first home.

He was born in a hole in the ground, and he couldn't be more proud of it. It had been a large, respectable den, dug generations ago by one of his forefathers. A den that had been passed down by the vixens of his family for as long as they could remember. A place that had been carefully renovated by his own parents. Marked, and padded, but still smelling of the distant past and filled with the protective feelings of his every mother-before.**(1)**

He could well remember the days spent in that den; remember with such fondness...

It had been where he first learned of his name. Where he first learned how to walk, followed quickly by the discovery of how easy it was to knock down his siblings. It was in that den that he discovered his claws and teeth.

The things that made a home 'Home'. His memories. All of the life, and earth, and air. The love that filled his mother's laughing yips and scolding howls. The excitement of trying to hunt his father and upon failing, pouncing on his brother. Teasing his sister's tail. Having his own ears chewed upon by both of his darker counterparts.

The curiosity—lined liberally with fear—over what lay outside. Being nudged out by a gentle nose; he could no longer remember whose it had been, and he mourned over that loss. But the awe over discovering exactly how big the world was...

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

None of that really mattered anymore. The den had been gone for centuries, and he had a new name now.

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

"Ano sa! Ano sa! Kogoetchi, why do you want me to go out to the training grounds?"

_You will see, Ko-chan._

"But I don't wanna train! Why do you-"

_Do not be repetitive, Ienakiko._

The child pouted, but continued walking. Not silently of course—Naruto was never silent. He would prattle on about anything and everything to everyone. He talked to his nanny—_the thrice-damned woman who would never spare the boy a smile_. He talked to his classmates—_the pitiable spawn of humans who were well on their way towards becoming jikininki_.**(2)** He talked to the teachers—_who have all begun to avoid him_. He talked to himself—_even when I'm not interested in talking back_. The child spoke to the very walls of his small apartment—p_robably to try and fill it with the life that he does not understand is missing_.

But it would stay missing, because his child was without the love of others. That little emotion that took on so many inconspicuous forms. The feeling that nearly takes physical form to fill all the nooks and crevices of a home. It had been stolen from him.

The creatures that inhabited this village—despicable. He could conceive of no reason for that foolish human to have sacrificed his own life for them. They, who violated the sacred soul of a child. Who went out of their way to deny his Ko-chan of purity. It disgusted him how easily it was accepted that this child be unloved.

Naruto lived in a cold, mostly empty apartment. He was homeless.

Ienakiko.

A child who had missed out on the most important form of love because of a fool, and was denied the close second by those who he was sacrificed for.

Kogoetchi's first memories of love were for his family and for his home. But he could not teach this human child about those. They would have to start with a different lesson.

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

"Ne, ne, Kogoetchi! We're here! What do I do now??" For a kid who didn't feel like training, he sure was excited.

They were in a fair-sized, open area that—if Kogoetchi remembered correctly—was used by older academy students.

_We are not there yet. Keep going, _he told the boy.

"What? But what kind of training will going in the woods be? Is it survival training? Do I have to spend the night out here?" The child bounced in place, jostling the bag he had strapped to his shoulders. It clanked in protest towards the unexpected action.

_When I said today would be your first lesson, I did not mean the shinobi arts, stupid._

The boy calmed almost instantly. "Oh." He glanced over at the large target boards on the other side of the clearing, almost longing in manner. This was where his sensei would sometimes take the class to watch the older kids practice. A couple times they had been allowed to throw blunt kunai at the targets! He wasn't the best at it, but that was okay. It was fun to be part of the group. He sighed, disappointed, and trudged forward. He had been so sure that this would be his chance to get a head start on his classmates. Then they wouldn't laugh at him, because he would be better then them!

A gentle, phantom-prod to his shoulder blade alerted him to the fact that he was about to run into a tree. He scowled at it. The immediate surroundings weren't supposed to be dangerous, but one never could tell. Sensei had been particularly severe towards kids who wandered off. And there were a lot of big plants. It was hard to push his way through; he grumbled to himself. Not just because of the trees, but also bushes that where taller than he was. How annoying.

"What does this have to do with love, anyway?"

_You will see, Ko-chan. Have patience. _

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

"FLOWERS? What do _flowers _have to do with love?! Those are for girls!"

Naruto stood in a little grove of trees. The open circle was choked with bushes on their side, but further in—where the sun wasn't interrupted—was lush grass decorated with white flowers. Of course, being as young as he was, Naruto wasn't at all impressed.

_Flowers are not for girls, stupid. _The voice was irritated. _They do not exist for anyone but our Lady._

"A girl," Naruto added.

_A Goddess, _Kogoetchi emphasized.

"What?"

_Our Lady is more than any human girl. But that is not what I directed you here for. This is where you will retrieve your first lesson._

"Retrieve?"

_Go sit in the middle of the grove, Ienakiko._

"Why?"

_Just do it! _he growled.

The boy jumped, then scowled petulantly. "Oh alright, alright."

He slumped his shoulders—nearly loosing his little orange backpack at the same time—and pushed through a couple more bushes. It was a few hours past lunch, so the light that came through the treetops lit half of the open area at an angle. Naruto could clearly see where it began from his place in the trees' shadows, and he paused to watch dust motes and little insects shine as they flew through it. It was kinda cool... Maybe his lesson in love would be fun! It made all the other kids happy, so it couldn't be very bad.

In a slightly uplifted mood, Naruto stepped gingerly around and over the flowering plants, towards the middle. He found a spot free of white to sit cross-legged in. If Kogoetchi said that the flowers belonged to a goddess, then he definitely didn't want to squish them. He slouched and squinted up so his face could feel the warmth of the sun. It wasn't a very hot day, so it was a nice difference from the shade he had spent the afternoon trekking in.

"Okay, now what?" he asked.

There was a distinct feeling of warmth on his knees, as if someone was sitting directly in front of him, and he heard his Voice sigh. Naruto would have grinned if he didn't know that, right now, Kogoetchi would leave him there—lost—for the rest of the day in retaliation. For some reason that he couldn't comprehend, his Voice still occasionally liked to pretend that he didn't like Naruto at all. But those moments were becoming few and far between after their talk. Of course, Kogoetchi wasn't talking to him any more than he used to. In fact, today was the most they had shared together since the talk.

His Voice interrupted his thoughts in a very firm, serious manner. _Look around you, Ko-chan. In this place, are we alone?_

Naruto looked around apprehensively. Were they being watched? Would someone come out to yell at him for learning about love? He waited. The only noises were from birds and bugs. He looked up, and around, and squinted to try and see further, "Yep. We're alone," he decided.

_Wrong._

"What?!"

Kogoetchi listened for a moment to the child's protests, then spoke over him.

_While we are out here, we are surrounded by life, Ienakiko. Look again._

Naruto jerked his head around and glared out at the woods beyond the grove. A bird called somewhere to his left, and there were more unidentifiable flying things shining in the sun. He couldn't see anyone and scowled—as if the action would scare what he wanted out of hiding.

"I don't see anyone," he grumbled.

Kogoetchi sighed. _You are thinking too hard. Look down._

Naruto slowly complied, hanging his head as if what his Voice had asked of him involved a huge sacrifice on his part.

_Now, what do you see?_

"Grass."

He was being a smart-ass. A sulky one. And they both knew it. But his Voice seemed to think the answer was adequate, for he didn't snap at him.

_Is grass not alive?_

Naruto wrinkled his nose in confusion. "Well, yeah, but—"

_No 'buts'. What else is alive out here?_

With his head still hanging, he only had the ground to look at. "Bugs?" he asked with a bit of hesitation. This was so weird!

_Mm-hmm. _

From the tone, Naruto could tell that that wasn't enough of an answer, so he started to look around with a little more zeal.

"Flowers."

"Trees."

"Birds."

"Ne, I bet there's a lizard out here somewhere. I caught one once a while ago!"

Naruto grinned at the memory that brought back. He had snuck it into school with him and left it on Sensei's desk. He hadn't thought she would be so entertaining, jumping around and slapping at it as if it would try to attack her if she simply picked it up. He had gotten into a lot of trouble, but those five minutes of chaos had been very satisfactory. Grins all around, and even a single 'awesome' from someone behind him. That had been an accomplishment, as it was hard to get people to talk to him directly—without insults—anymore.

_Good. Good. Those things all have something in common. Do you know what?_

"Umm... well... They're all... alive?" Naruto wasn't sure if the obvious was right. When he used a simple answer with Sensei, he'd often be scolded for not thinking it through the whole way. But he needn't have worried. He could feel Kogoetchi's approval. It was a nice feeling, comforting in a way.

_Yes. All of those things are alive, and you are capable of caring about them._

Naruto thought about this, and decided that Kogoetchi was right. "But what does that have to do with love?" he asked.

_Before you can really begin to understand love, you need to understand the actions performed through it. You need to learn to care for another life._

"Care for another life..." The way Kogoetchi said it made it all seem very mystifying. He pulled at the grass in front of him, straightening it to its full height—almost to his chest, while he was still sitting—and letting it droop down again over his knee.

"Okay, so what do I do?"

-... - ... - ... - ... - ... -

(1) Mother-before: mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and so on and so on...

(2) Jikininki - From Japanese mythology; the spirits of greedy, selfish, or impious individuals who are cursed after death to seek out and eat human corpses. Gruesome, eh?

Ending Note: Don't be discouraged by the sudden ending! I'll try to have to next part up quicker this time. Oh! And Please Review! Any kind of suggestions would be appreciated; this was supposed to be a one-shot after all.


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